The word
jarl is known in Norway from the scaldic poem
Háleygjatal, dating from the late 9th century. In
Eddic poetry, a
jarl is often a free man of good standing, but not necessarily of high office. The concept of the jarl also appears in the poem
Rígsþula. According to the myth, the god Ríg fathers three sonsThrall, Karl, and Jarlwho become the ancestors of the social classes:
thralls, peasants, and the warrior nobility. Jarl marries Erna, daughter of
hersir (local chieftain), and their youngest son is named
Konr or
Konr ungr (king). Based on Rígsþula, German historian
Konrad Maurer traced the concept of
jarl back to the legendary Norwegian king
Harald Fairhair (c. 850 – c. 932). During those times, jarl would have meant a member of the aristocratic class. This is supported by Old English laws, in which
eorl refers to a noble person. However, some scholars date the composition of Rígsþula to 12th century or later, in which case it cannot be considered a good source for a 10th century concept. During the Merovingian period, jarl developed into an office of independent chieftains. The most powerful of the Norwegian jarls were the
jarls of Lade who ruled over
Trøndelag and
Hålogaland. In later medieval Norway, the title of jarl was the highest rank below the king. There was usually no more than one jarl in mainland Norway at any one time, and sometimes none. The ruler of the
Norwegian dependency of Orkney held the title of jarl, and after
Iceland had acknowledged Norwegian overlordship in 1261, a jarl was sent there, as well, as the king's high representative. In mainland Norway, the title of jarl was usually used for one of two purposes: • To appoint a de facto ruler in cases where the king was a minor or seriously ill (e.g.
Håkon Galen in 1204 during the minority of king
Guttorm,
Skule Bårdsson in 1217 during the illness of king
Inge Bårdsson). • To appease a pretender to the throne without giving him the title of king (e.g. Eirik, the brother of king
Sverre). In 1237, jarl Skule Bårdsson was given the rank of
duke (). This was the first time this title had been used in Norway, and meant that the title jarl was no longer the highest rank below the king. It also heralded the introduction of new noble titles from continental Europe, which were to replace the old Norse titles. The last jarl in mainland Norway was appointed in 1295. == Sweden ==